London: France's new first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has accused a journalist, who wrote that her husband - French President Nicolas Sarkozy - begged his ex-wife Cecilia to return a week before marrying the supermodel, of making a mockery of journalistic principles.

She said even though her husband decided to drop legal action against magazine Le Nouvel Observateur, which published the report, journalist Airy Routier made a mockery of basic press principles by publishing an unchecked rumour. The article, according to Bruni-Sarkozy, violated the magazine s own charter of good practice, which stipulates that the aim of articles is to present the facts to readers with the utmost rigour and honesty.

She said, When a journalist, at the expense of his readers, sanctifies rumours and mistakes his desires for reality, he should not invoke rock-solid sources, the Daily Telegraph reported. Sarkozy had earlier decided to sue Nouvel Obs. Routier confirmed that he wrote a personal apology to Bruni-Sarkozy for hurting her feelings, but said he stands by what he wrote 100 per cent.

The magazine had stated on its website that, Eight days before his wedding (to Sarkozy-Bruni), the President sent an SMS to his ex-wife in the form of an ultimatum: "If you come back, he wrote, I'll cancel everything." He had no response. The SMS report created a massive buzz on the Internet and damaged the image of the President.

His ex-wife C飩lia told French police that she had never received any such message, but the magazine and its journalist stand by their story.

Source : UNI